1. Field of the Invention
A connector arrangement is provided for tapping off current from a plurality of insulated input conductors and for supplying the same to a plurality of output conductors, including a rectangular base member having a horizontal planar upper surface provided with a plurality of parallel seats receiving the insulated conductors, a frame mounted on the base member for supporting a plurality of terminal blocks for vertical displacement over the seats, each terminal block including an insulation piercing contact extending downwardly therefrom, and an eccentric disk arrangement for displacing each terminal block relative to the frame member between an elevated position spaced above the associated conductor seat, and a lowered position in which the contact penetrates the insulation layer and engages the conductor.
2. Description of Related Art
This kind of connection system is known from DE 297 08 222 U1. The connection system shown in that reference is used—just as the connection system of the present invention—to make electricity tap-off branches from a plurality of continuous conductors without having to cut through the continuous conductors. For this purpose, a plurality of groove-like seats are provided on a base plate into which seat one can insert a flat cable or a plurality of electrical conductors that are parallel with respect to each other. Then an upper part is put on in order to slacken the conductors or the flat cable. Upon this preassembled unit, which is provided with separating walls, one then locks clamp-like bodies in a pivotal motion, which bodies in each case are provided with an insulation-penetrating contact that is connected via a bus bar with, in each case, two resilient contacts for connection with output conductors. In this way, one can make in each case two branches on each conductor without having to separate the continuous conductors.
It is also known that one can arrange conductor connection discs on a shaft in a rotatable manner upon a bottom plate. This design did not work satisfactorily, because the conductors must be inserted sideways so that the arrangement is not suitable for assembly upon already-installed continuous cables.
The present invention therefore starts with the typical state of the art and seeks to simplify said state of the art with respect to its design structure, whereby a compact structure with ease of operation is achieved.